Kings at Blackhawks: What bettors need to know
Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks (-148, 5)
After failing last postseason, the Los Angeles Kings get another chance to knock off the Blackhawks as the teams begin their Western Conference final series in Chicago on Sunday afternoon. The Kings won four straight to oust St. Louis and outlasted San Jose in a seven-game set that saw the home team capture each contest before falling to Chicago, which won the conference final in five games and defeated Boston to earn the fifth Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Los Angeles dropped all three contests at Chicago in last year's matchup and its first two at San Jose in this postseason's first-round series to extend its road losing streak to eight before winning five of its last six - including three of four at Anaheim.
The Kings have proven they never can be counted out as they became the fourth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit against the Sharks, then were down 3-2 to Pacific Division-champion Anaheim before posting a 2-1 triumph to even the set and trouncing the Ducks 6-2 in the seventh game. Chicago needed six games to dispatch both St. Louis and Minnesota, losing the first two before reeling off four straight wins against the Blues and claiming all three home games before eliminating the Wild with a 2-1 overtime triumph in Minnesota. The Blackhawks are 2-0 all-time versus the Kings, having also defeated Los Angeles in five games in their 1974 first-round matchup.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBC, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles was held to three goals or fewer in each of the first six games against Anaheim before erupting for six on Friday. Five different players recorded a goal and an assist apiece, including Anze Kopitar - who raised his league-leading point total to 19 and has registered at least one point in 13 of the Kings' 14 playoff contests. Marian Gaborik scored his league-best ninth goal and also set up a tally.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Marian Hossa and defenseman Brent Seabrook lead the club in scoring this postseason with 11 points apiece, but the most dangerous players on the roster remain captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The dynamic duo has combined for seven of the team's game-winning goals, with Toews leading the NHL with four. Corey Crawford has been superb in net as he has posted a league-best 1.97 goals-against average.
TRENDS:
* Kings are 0-5 in the last five meetings in Chicago.
* Blackhawks are 8-1 in their last nine Conference Finals games.
* Under is 22-8-3 in the last 33 meetings in Chicago.
* Kings are 1-4 in their last five Conference Finals games.
OVERTIME:
1. Los Angeles is 6-0 when facing elimination this postseason.
2. The Blackhawks have won nine of their last 11 meetings with the Kings, including all three in the 2013-14 regular season.
3. Los Angeles played nearly the entire second-round series against the Ducks without Ds Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr due to injuries. The latter saw just over 3 1/2 minutes of action in the opener before getting hurt.
Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks (-148, 5)
After failing last postseason, the Los Angeles Kings get another chance to knock off the Blackhawks as the teams begin their Western Conference final series in Chicago on Sunday afternoon. The Kings won four straight to oust St. Louis and outlasted San Jose in a seven-game set that saw the home team capture each contest before falling to Chicago, which won the conference final in five games and defeated Boston to earn the fifth Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Los Angeles dropped all three contests at Chicago in last year's matchup and its first two at San Jose in this postseason's first-round series to extend its road losing streak to eight before winning five of its last six - including three of four at Anaheim.
The Kings have proven they never can be counted out as they became the fourth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit against the Sharks, then were down 3-2 to Pacific Division-champion Anaheim before posting a 2-1 triumph to even the set and trouncing the Ducks 6-2 in the seventh game. Chicago needed six games to dispatch both St. Louis and Minnesota, losing the first two before reeling off four straight wins against the Blues and claiming all three home games before eliminating the Wild with a 2-1 overtime triumph in Minnesota. The Blackhawks are 2-0 all-time versus the Kings, having also defeated Los Angeles in five games in their 1974 first-round matchup.
TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBC, TSN, RDS
ABOUT THE KINGS: Los Angeles was held to three goals or fewer in each of the first six games against Anaheim before erupting for six on Friday. Five different players recorded a goal and an assist apiece, including Anze Kopitar - who raised his league-leading point total to 19 and has registered at least one point in 13 of the Kings' 14 playoff contests. Marian Gaborik scored his league-best ninth goal and also set up a tally.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS: Marian Hossa and defenseman Brent Seabrook lead the club in scoring this postseason with 11 points apiece, but the most dangerous players on the roster remain captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The dynamic duo has combined for seven of the team's game-winning goals, with Toews leading the NHL with four. Corey Crawford has been superb in net as he has posted a league-best 1.97 goals-against average.
TRENDS:
* Kings are 0-5 in the last five meetings in Chicago.
* Blackhawks are 8-1 in their last nine Conference Finals games.
* Under is 22-8-3 in the last 33 meetings in Chicago.
* Kings are 1-4 in their last five Conference Finals games.
OVERTIME:
1. Los Angeles is 6-0 when facing elimination this postseason.
2. The Blackhawks have won nine of their last 11 meetings with the Kings, including all three in the 2013-14 regular season.
3. Los Angeles played nearly the entire second-round series against the Ducks without Ds Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr due to injuries. The latter saw just over 3 1/2 minutes of action in the opener before getting hurt.
